Law school suggestions

[Saltdog]

Hey out there in DU-land!

How many people here have experience with law schools? Do you recommend any in particular? Do you advise staying away from others?

I'm looking for progressive law schools with good clinical programs, a track record of placing people in jobs outside of private practice (government, public interest, etc.), and a non-competitive environment.

Any recommendations?

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. Mydad was supposed to go to Suffolk. It was very good back in the day.

[geek tragedy]

2. Have you taken the LSAT yet?

In general, go to the best school you can get into.

[fairfaxvadem]

3. Definitely just go to the best shool you can get into.

That is good advice from the other poster.

Once you have a list of possibilities based on LSAT, GPA, interests, geographic area, then you can look further into what they offer or specialize in, and decide which ones you want to apply to.

If you can get into an Ivy League, like Yale, then go for it, especially since they do Pass/Fail. Other schools still grade, do the class ranking BS, etc.

I'm enjoying law school for the most part, but it certainly is a racket, in many ways.

[SW FL Dem]

5. I agree with the other posters

Go to the best school you get into. It makes a huge difference when it comes to getting a job in a tight job market.

[Saltdog]

18. Yet

All law schools in the top 100 list have employment rates of at least 90%.

[Saltdog]

7. Basically any school other than the top 20

I'm really looking more for people with first hand experience at a variety of law schools.

For instance, I know George Mason, University of Chicago, Washburn, and virtually all the southern schools are conservative and out of the question. I guess I'm more interested in hearing what people think about schools that are supposed to be more progressive. Or maybe they have suggestions for schools I haven't looked at.

I really don't want to get into a philosophical discussion about whether one should just go to the best school they can get into. That is a strategy that works for some, but there are a lot of valid arguments against it too.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

15. Hastings is in the top 20 and is fairly progressive

It doesn't have the official UC attached to it like Boalt does even though it is part of the UC system...it ranks just outside the top 10 I think...job placement is decent but remember first year lawyers really don't make all that much no matter where they end up and they are required to put in 1800 billable hours in most jobs the first year...which is about 1/3 to 1/2 more time than is actually billable.

Just GO to law school first...you never know what you'll be doing when you get out.

[madaboutharry]

4. Did you actually say

"non-competitive environment"? I guarantee that Hooterville Law School and Body Shop will be competitive.

Go to the highest ranked school you can get into.

[judge_smales]

8. This gives me pause also.

Why non-competitive? And why law? You might be sailing into a storm here.

[tigereye]

12. don't go!

become a therapist instead! :) sorry couldn't resist.

signed formerly wanted to be a lawyer, but became the other kind of "counselor."

[Lex]

6. This is the best advice I can give you.

If you are planning to go into government or public interest work after law school, DO NOT RUN UP A BIG STUDENT LOAN during law school.

Try to go to a more affordable law school for you (unless money is no concern).

If you go to an expensive law school and run up a lot of debt for school, you will not be able to afford to go into a job like public defender, or other public interest law, because you will have to find a top-paying job just to pay back your student loan debt.

Just keep that in mind when making your choice!

[madaboutharry]

10. In this case, he would have to get

into a state university law school in the state in which he is a resident. That is the most affordable, but these law schools can be rather hard to get into because of their affordability.

[Flaxbee]

16. Absolutely agree.

Especially if you don't want to go into a big firm and be lashed to the desk for years to pay off your debt. I went to UCLA Law School, enjoyed the hell outta law school (and found it to be quite progressive with a terrific clinical program) but HATED HATED HATED practicing law. Don't do it anymore, quit after 5 years. But then again, I got stuck in a big firm (even though my debt was quite manageable) and burned out. Now I can't even look at a contract w/o gagging.

So, if you go, try to get residency in California b/c UCBerkely, UCLA and UCHastings are terrific law schools (UCB and UCLA are top 20 and VERY PROGRESSIVE) and tuition is quite tolerable once you're a resident. When I applied, I was accepted but they offered me a one year deferment b/c they had too many people accept their offers... so, you could apply, perhaps defer while you establish residency, and go from there.

Good luck! Go to the best school you can... you don't need Harvard to get a good job, but top 20 schools do help your resume value.

[Saltdog]

19. THANK YOU!!!

Finally someone who understands that maybe running up $150,000 in student loan debt just so I can say I went to a top 20 school might not be in my best interest if I want to do anything other than work in a huge private law firm defending people like Bush for the rest of my life.

[Lex]

20. You got it.

Here's where I went and it is a fine law school, with great clinical programs, and a diverse student body.

(The Democratic governor of my state attended this law school too.)

http://www.nccu.edu/law/aboutus/index.html

[dietdpfan]

9. Harvard Law

My friend just graduated from Harvard and found a job in a private law firm immediatly.

He seems to be doing well.

Good luck! I admire your ambition.

:)

[resist]

11. Don't Go to Law School

[seventhson]

13. Georgetown and Universoty of the District of Columbia Law school

both have excellent programs.

DC Public is much cheaper though

[Raven]

14. Suffolk Law School in Boston.

It has a good reputation and good placements. You can go nights or days. Good practical legal education there because most of the professors are practicing attorneys.

[Saltdog]

17. Non-competitive

Yes, Virginia, there are non-competitive law schools out there.

Yale, for instance, is both the highest ranked law school (for those who believe this matters) in the country and one of the least competitive.

I was looking more for law students and lawyers with actual experience, rather than the routine and erroneous advice one hears from people who don't know what they are talking about.

I looked at Hastings, but UC-Davis seems like a better choice. UB and Brooklyn look good too. Of course the Rutgers schools are top notch for getting clerkships.

There are just so many variables...

[madaboutharry]

27. well,

"I was looking more for law students and lawyers with actual experience, rather than the routine and erroneous advice one hears from people who don't know what they are talking about."

What an interesting statement. Seems you are the type that will do well in the legal profession.

[rumguy]

21. I believe the most progressive law school in the country is

SUNY at Queens....

[geek tragedy]

22. Do NOT go to SUNY's law school

It has a terrible reputation in terms of quality, even amongst very progressive lawyers in NYC.

[geek tragedy]

28. Make that "CUNY's law school"

oops.

[curse10]

25. I'd argue it was Northeastern

but, I'm biased :-)

[bushwakker]

23. Check out Northeastern in Boston*

[floridaguy]

24. I think you'll make the right decision about law school

Sorry I can't help you with a particular school. I went to University of Florida Law School, which is considered quite good, especially in Florida, but "progressive" would not be an adjective that comes to mind in describing it.

You're asking the right questions though, and no offense meant, but as far as going to the best school you can get into, that sounds like something a second year law student would say.

If the law review vs. moot court decision becomes the focal point in your life, you will have passed over to the other side.

Good luck on your journey. Law school was certainly one of the most exciting challenges in my life, and the knowledge and skills you gain will enrich your life.

As for now. I left law 10 years ago to travel the world. Now I serve humanity a little better as a massage therapist and grassroots organizer.

Good luck to you Saltdog - namaste

[Seeking Serenity]

26. University of Arkansas at Little Rock

Great law school; best value in legal education; great tax, mediation and litigation clinics; and a fairly non-competitive atmosphere. Students band together and help each other.

(OK, I'm a little biased, since DH went to school there).

And Little Rock is a great place to live.

[truthspeaker]

29. University of Minnesota's is supposed to be very good

But I don't know from first hand experience.